Tag Archives: Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt New Orleans Housing Project

legend, movies,

Community Meeting

Brad Pitt centered along side the supporters of rebuilding after the hurricane.
Brad Pitt stood alongside the supporters of rebuilding after the hurricane.

Helping People of New Orleans

Brad Pitt initiated a housing project in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans following the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Pitt’s pet project, “Make It Right Foundation,” is an example of helping families rebuild their homes.

Celebrity home designer and “Holmes on Homes” TV personality Mike Holmes worked with Pitt on the project. Holmes promotes green living, so working with Pitt and Make It Right was perfect for both.

Although years have passed, the project remains, and the foundation is no longer as prominent as it was during the construction of the homes. The results are as endearing and heartfelt today as when the people were still recovering from Katrina.

Although some people he helped are biting the hand that feeds him, his program remains as strong as ever.

Pitt Talks with Ellen About His Foundation

“I’ll tell you, every time I drive over the Claiborne bridge, no matter what frustration I might be dealing with at the moment, I get this well of pride when I see this little oasis of color and the solar panels.”— Brad Pitt, Country Living Magazine.

Pitt designed and built homes like this one for the devasted area.
Pitt designed and built homes like this one for the devastated area.

Building Homes

Holmes and Pitt agreed on building homes that would not burn down, be blown down, or go down under any circumstances. The Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood star indicated that building such a home is not that difficult.

Following the devastation caused by Katrina in New Orleans in August 2005, building homes that take into account environmental conditions is a blessing. New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward experienced devastation and ruin when the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina.

“Make It Right Foundation” joined Holmes in building homes to withstand a catastrophe like Katrina, thereby rebuilding the area devastated by the hurricane.

The rebuilding of New Orleans, Lower Ninth Ward, included homes like this one.
The rebuilding of New Orleans, Lower Ninth Ward, included homes like this one.

Brad Pitt Builds 150 Homes

Pitt and Holmes built 150 homes, each designed to prevent future catastrophes. To some, that may seem impossible, but they achieved it to raise the homes three feet above ground level. They withstand the possibility of being blown down by a hurricane.

Looking at the homes in the pictures, you can see how they stand on the ground, stronger and rooted.

Pitt and Holmes designed 150 homes like this one for the people homeless after Katrina in Midsummer, 2005.
Pitt and Holmes designed 150 homes like this one for the homeless people after Katrina in the summer of 2005.

Solar Panels

Of course, solar panels play a significant part in the project, and other environmentally friendly factors include homes capturing rainwater for reuse in gardening and toilets.

Another designed home orchestrated by Pitt and Holmes.
Another designed home orchestrated by Pitt and Holmes.

No Longer Worried or Stressed

The locals appreciate rebuilding their homes, knowing they will withstand environmental catastrophes, and acknowledging that such incidents have historically occurred. The worry and stress caused by the possibility of losing their homes during the next hurricane no longer exist.

In New Orleans, Pitt and Holmes set positive examples for others to follow, providing hope and a brighter future for the region.

Make It Right Helps the Unfortunate

Today, the “Make It Right Foundation” believes that everyone has the right to live in a high-quality, healthy home that enhances the natural environment. Sadly, some are less fortunate and need assistance to get started and build a stable home.

The organization assists those in need. They believe the program fully engages the communities in defining their own needs and has a leading role in designing appropriate ways to meet those needs.

The foundation supports any design that can help improve the quality of affordable housing and enhance other living conditions of its occupants. The results are playing a pivotal role in creating vibrant, sustainable communities. The purpose is to build safe homes and help people around the world live in healthy cities. The fact that it offers affordable, high-quality, and environmentally sustainable homes is all the better.

Cradle to Cradle Homes

One of the programs the foundation supports is “Cradle to Cradle Homes.” The program is still unique, but hopefully, that will change, and it will become more widespread.

Architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart apply specific criteria to develop communities. They use materials that are both biological and technically safe, renewable, and focused on social fairness and human dignity.

“The Tree of Life” Filming Locations

drama, history, legend, ,

Malick, What is the Meaning

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life takes us on a passage through the Heavens, and then we are carried above volcanoes and then plunge below the surface into the deep ocean.

We see a few of our most celebrated scientific images of all time. I have wondered why we are on this journey with Malick. I don’t think this concept received an answer.

During the movie, we visit diverse locations, including Waco, Texas; Villa Lante; Death Valley; and the Sun. Malick reminds us of space, living things, and the significance of our humanity. Bringing up such questions: Being raised by a violent father and an angelic mother, does it balance a person? Does history shape our existence?

I had the opportunity to watch the movie the other night. A viewing experience that sometimes bewildered me with visual and aural beauty. Almost bored with wandering attention, I was surprised to see dinosaurs in the movie, which I believe was meant to explain why man is so violent, but I’m not sure.

The DVD comes with a 30-minute featurette about the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie. I watched the featurette, and it didn’t help explain Malick’s choice of locations.

“The nuns taught us there are two ways through life: the way of nature, and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow.”— Mrs. O’Brien (Jessica Chastain) in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life”

Death Valley

In the Mojave Desert, located in Eastern California, lies Death Valley. Records indicated the area registers the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. The valley gained fame in 1849 during the California Gold Rush. Its title, “death,” didn’t hold much weight in the era, with only one death recorded during the Gold Rush.

On July 10, 1913, the hottest air temperature ever recorded was 134 degrees Fahrenheit at Furnace Creek, a perfect name for the event. During this period, the desert reached 129 degrees Fahrenheit for five days.

At one point (2.588 million to 12000 years ago), the area was a succession of inland seas called Lake Manly. A freshwater lake that eventually evaporated as the temperatures in the region grew hotter. How this relates to Malick’s movie, I don’t know.

Texas

The second-largest state in the United States is Texas, nearly twice the size of Germany and Japan combined. The large size of Texas brings divergent climatic regions, and rivers form three of its borders. Thus, the state is diverse yet beautiful, with deserts, prairies, grasslands, forests, and coastlines. For this reason, the large state resembles the American South and Southwest.

Source

Villa Lante

The Villa Lante is a historical garden of wonder near Viterbo in central Italy. Construction of Villa Lante started around 1566. The estate has changed owners many, many times since its development. Families lived in the Villa until around the 19th century.

The property is famous for its architectural design and water fountains, drawing thousands of visitors for centuries.

In 1944, Allied bombing heavily hit the estate due to the fall of Rome. In the late 20th century, Dr. Angelo Cantoni purchased the Villa. He managed a very long restoration process. As of 2014, the Villa belongs to the Republic of Italy.

Source

The Sun

The Sun is a star at the center of our Solar System. It has a mass 330,000 times that of Earth. The Sun emits sunlight that supports all life on Earth and shapes Earth’s climate and weather. Because of the Sun’s godlike nature, it controls Earth’s well-being. Some societies have believed the Sun to be a deity.

Mauna Loa Volcano

Mauna Loa, located in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, is one of the largest volcanoes on Earth. One of the five volcanoes that form the Islands of Hawaii, the volcano has remained active for roughly 700,000 years. However, Mauna Loa’s most recent eruption in 1984 caused no deaths, whereas those in 1926 and 1950 devastated villages.

Hilo, Hawaii, has been built on lava flows from Mauna Loa since the 19th century. Because Mauna Loa is still active and evolving, the volcano is watched continuously for the safety of its inhabitants.

“I film quite a bit of footage, then edit. Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can’t. My attitude is always ‘let it keep rolling.'”— Terrence Malick

Malick: A Hidden Life

I have shown you scenes from Malick’s movie, hoping it helps you understand his overall message about the nature of man and his many forms.

Malick said once, “Perhaps when I have ten films behind me, I will have something worth saying.”

A pivotal part of Malick’s films is the music he uses for the score. We cannot hear his music now; it plays only in the movie, where the soundtrack plays a vital part in The Tree of Life. The visual locations with the significant compositions by the greatest composers, including Mozart, Brahms, Berlioz, and others, experience the nature and grace of humankind.